CARMEN

Sure to be one of the most widely heralded musical events of 2022/23, Proximity is a gripping, powerful trio of new works that confronts head-on some of the greatest challenges affecting us as a society: yearning for connection in a world driven by technology; the devastating impact of gun violence on cities and neighborhoods; and the need to respect and protect our natural resources. As the story zooms in and out from the individual to the community to the cosmic, we find ourselves in a compelling snapshot of 21st century life, with all of its complex intersections and commonalities. This new Lyric commission, bringing together a complement of some of the most important creative minds of our time, including winners of the Pulitzer Prize, Grammy Awards, and the MacArthur Genius Grant, promises to be by turns riveting, provocative, and inspiring. The Walkers Composed by Daniel Bernard Roumain with libretto by Anna Deavere Smith. Four Portraits Composed by Caroline Shaw with libretto by Caroline Shaw and Jocelyn Clark. Night Composed by John Luther Adams with libretto by John Haines.

Carmen is irresistible from the first note of the electrifying prelude right to the end of the devastating finale. The immortal tale of the restless, free-spirited heroine and Don José, the soldier who's drawn to her in a truly "fatal attraction," Carmen has long been one of the world's favorite operas. It returns this season in the company's vividly colorful, powerfully dramatic production with dynamic Ryan Opera Center alumna J'Nai Bridges, who is now enjoying a dazzling career internationally, in the title role. Partnering with her is Charles Castronovo, one of the world's most acclaimed tenors. You'll be drawn to the drama like moth to flame as this alluring opera brings you along to its edge-of-your-seat ending.

When this universally cherished production debuted 20 years ago, it captivated Chicago audiences. It did the same in 2012, and this season it returns again by popular demand. This rivetingly modern, astonishingly inventive view of the Brothers Grimm's fairytale features an eye-popping production that does full justice to Humperdinck's glorious score. You'll be rooting for Hansel and Gretel at every moment in their battle against the witch in the massive, industrial-strength kitchen, and you'll be moved by the "Dream Ballet." From the exquisite "Evening Prayer" to the uproarious "Witch's Ride," this ever-fresh, whimsical masterpiece is packed with musical gems that make it a wonderful introduction to opera for audiences of all ages.

The master of operatic comedy who created The Barber of Seville strikes again with this side-splitting comedy replete with onstage antics that match its high-energy music. High jinks ensue when Countess Adèle sequesters herself in her castle while her valiant brother is away on a crusade. In his absence, the amorous Count Ory stops at nothing (including disguising himself as a nun!) to gain entry to the castle and woo the virtuous Countess. Le Comte Ory is one of opera's most frothy delights, with music that bubbles over like the most effervescent champagne. In this pricelessly witty production, bel canto tenor par excellence Lawrence Brownlee stars in the virtuosic title role — one of his specialties internationally — opposite the Countess of Kathryn Lewek, one of her generation's most scintillating coloratura sopranos. You'll smile from the overture to the happy ending.

Acknowledged by audiences and critics alike as one of the most magnificent achievements in the history of opera, Don Carlos masterfully reveals the private turmoil of very public personalities. In 16th-century Spain, King Philip II is torn apart by his own jealous suspicions that his son, crown prince Carlos, and Queen Elisabeth — Philip's young wife and Carlos's stepmother — are in love. The drama unfolds and washes over you with unforgettable intensity and thrilling musical splendor. The full stature of this epic opera will be revealed at Lyric as never before when performed in the full five acts, with the matchless eloquence of the opera's original French text. Don Carlos is a tour-de-force experience for those who love Verdi in his prime.

The incomparable Renée Fleming will be joined by charismatic baritone Rod Gilfry for an extraordinary musical event: the Chicago premiere of The Brightness of Light, composed by Pulitzer Prize winner Kevin Puts, followed by a delightful collection of Broadway favorites. The Brightness of Light is a superb new work called "an easy delight" by the Boston Globe, and based on letters between legendary painter Georgia O'Keeffe and her husband, the world-renowned photographer Alfred Stieglitz. These texts and Puts's remarkable music offer a marvelous showcase for the probing, profoundly connecting and sensitive artistry of Fleming and Gilfry as they perform against a backdrop of evocative projections that mingle their art, photos, and letters. The second half of the concert offers favorites from classic musical theater titles that are sure to leave audiences smiling. Music Director Enrique Mazzola leads the Lyric Opera Orchestra in this special, one-night-only engagement.

One of the world's leading opera directors, Barrie Kosky is celebrated from Vienna to Paris and from Bayreuth to London, where his new Ring cycle will take the stage at the Royal Opera starting next year. When his production of Fiddler on the Roof premiered at Komische Oper Berlin in 2017, international critics heralded the arrival of a completely original and unique experience created from this revered, Tony Award-winning masterpiece. "Songs many of us have heard our whole lives sentimentalized...are given weight and take on deep meaning," raved the Los Angeles Times. Experience a Fiddler like no other, with the full power of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus as well as a production that is both grand in scale and intimate in its power to bring you directly to the heart of the village of Anatevka. Join us as Tevye, his wife Golde, and their five daughters experience the real joys and sorrows that have made this meaningful work an enduring part of our culture.

The 2022/23 Season opens with a thrilling continuation of Lyric's acclaimed early Verdi series. Ernani reveals Verdi at his most irresistibly melodic and dramatic. A persecuted nobleman forced to disguise himself as an outlaw, Ernani loves beautiful Elvira, but she's pursued by two other men — her uncle, Silva, and the King of Spain, Carlo. This "love quadrangle" inspires grand-scale arias and ensembles, bursting with the unique energy and drive that were Verdi's own. Music Director Enrique Mazzola leads a quartet of world-renowned Verdians in Lyric's sumptuously beautiful production that is designed to bring you an exhilarating operatic experience.